The Electra Forums

OK, here are the pictures. The thing is pretty clean to be 30 years old!










Thanks for the Help!!! Platefire

That is as nice of one as I have seen, appears in excellent condition - good score!

very nice... I like that color too. Mine is a red burst, and not in as good of shape. But it plays great, and it was a gift from a friend too (even better). I have it setup just the way I want it.

The keys I put on mine were the black sperzel looking copies from GFS. They aren't sperzels, but they are about $30 instead of $70 or so. And they do a very respectable job. They fit the same holes without modification and the key style looks just like the later gotoh keys that were used in the westone era (not the rounder ones like this but a "schaller" style button - flat on the sides). They fit perfectly and look like they always were on there. I am not saying change them, yours guitar is VERY ORIGINAL and VERY CLEAN. But if you did, they would not require extra holes and they look right on it. I have a set of those older style keys, and I have a set of those gotohs too. If you like it - leave it alone - that is a beauty.

Oh, you can get a 6mm threaded black floyd style bar and it will fit that perfectly - I got mine at GFS too.

Congrats.

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Thorny

Thanks

I had the advantage of keeping this one for a while before I decided to trade. It was hard deliberation because I really liked my Peavey Predator I traded for it. I had a lot of set up trial and error time invested in that guitar. I had a close musician friend tell me the Electra looked odd. To me that is the draw that it is different and it don't look like anything else cosmeticly and electronically, I haven't seen one set up like this. I also read the comment by Tom Presley that he kind of suggested the Spectrum was kind of special at a time Electra was attempting to come up with their own design. I like the fact this 1984 model is the only year that the Electra/Westone name was used. That put it in kind of a special nitch. So all this history research help me determine that I had something way more special than the Peavey. The fact that over the years, whoever has possession of this ax took good care of it don't hurt things either.

I have adjusted on it some, repaired the ground wire and it's playing and sounding good to me in my living room. I have found over the years though that what sounds good by yourself in your house my not translate to a band situation. So I'm planning on using it in the Praise and Worship band at Church tomorrow and that will be a good test. I don't even trust your first live band test because sometimes you just have a bad day, not reflection on the guitar. On the other hand nothing builds your respect and causes you to bond with a guitar like great playing experiences. So I'm expecting the Spectrum to do great and I'm looking forward to using all the different tones on the spot as I need them.

Thanks for the info on the tuning keys and whammy bar. That's just what I was looking for, an exact fit and match in color. I haven't decided if the slack is bad enough to change the originals. If it holds tuning, that's the main thing. I could buy a set and just change out the ones needing replacement as needed. Does the new ones match well enough to mix and match with the old ones??? I could always save the original one removed in the case.

Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge, Platefire(Bob)

While the new ones look really good and "natural" on it, I would not mix and match. Keep those original ones unless you really want the locking feature. If you go with it, those ones I suggested at GFS have staggered shafts as well so that works out very nicely - either keep them the same or change them all out for uniform look. You can order that black 6mm floyd bar at the same time too.

You can also look for a tremolo hole spring - you put it under the bar to give some tension to your black 6mm floyd style bar. That will allow you to set the bar where you want it and it will stay, but you will be able to move it when you need to. Fender has done this forever with their vintage setup, but 99% of the people don't either know it or realize that is why a fender that ships with a vintage trem has a sticker over the tremolo hole - to keep that spring from falling out. It is a nice detail to tweak out your guitar. Next question is where do you get them? I bought in a fender package a long time ago, not sure who sells them now but they are out there. They are short compared to a pickup height spring, and thicker/stouter.

Here is a link with some for sale - no affiliation on my part!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-American-Series-Strat-Tremolo-Arm-Tension-Springs-0994931000-/141503413642?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item20f242bd8a

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Thorny

Thorny

Had a real good experience with the Spectrum today at Church. I never got around to the strat like quack sounds but mostly pure Humbucker mode bridge or neck and single coil mode bridge or neck. It was really nice when I was playing backup Rhythm & Lead on a song and seen the need for a tele like sound and pulled the vol knob out just before the lead and set it to the bridge PU and boy there it was nice clear twang and tele type bite! I knew I liked the way the Humbuckers sounded but the sound of the tapped single coils was a pleasant surprise--just loved the tone and the way they responded. The tuning held well and the action is nice and low but still lets me bend strings like I like too yet the low action allows me to play faster. I did raise the bridge PU a little because the neck was a little louder to balance them better. Was able to use the whammy successfully several times and found the arm easy to find and grab. Just need some more quality playing time to get acclimated to it and may have to do a another tweak or two and I think this ax and I will get along fine.

On the tuning keys I like the high ratio but the slack is kind of iffy on several keys. Not sure yet what I will do but kinda think I might latter on be changing them all out.

Thanks for the info on the tension springs for the whammy bar. I've had several starts in my time but yet to ever see one. Got a 97 CIJ 54-RI Strat that could use one right now plus my Electra. The package contains more than I need but for the price it wouldn't hurt to have some extras. Thanks, Platefire

BTW-Any info on why they decided to use Maple as body wood on the Spectrum? Using Maple for body wood in kind of unusual as it's normally very bright.

Well I'm tagging on to myself as an update that I'm kind of excited about. Played last night through my line up of songs just as a practice session using my JamMan band(thats another story) and the Spectrum did so well. I played with all the pull/push controls and had a few fumbles but I'm still learning. I like all the tones combinations but so far just the untapped humbuckers are my favorite. The rest is icing on the cake. The combination of the body and these type pickups is different and unique. I don't know how to explain it or put my finger on it yet but the results are I'm able to accomplish my playing style with ease and stability with great enjoyment. No buzzing strings or fretting out with low action yet very compatible with string bending, tuning stability, well balanced guitar and all the controls are laid out well for easy on the spot access. I do a lot of volume swells and the vol pot is in the perfect location. Most used guitars I pick up require a lot of set up/mods to meet my needs but so far all I've had to do on this one is adjust the pickup height. I'm surprised---"Electra" never would have thought it. Platefire

Great to hear! I am glad the guitar performs like it should and you are making the most of its features and versatility. Someday people will figure out how nice they are and the prices will double. But for now it is really nice they are so affordable. Sometimes it takes years for something to be appreciated. How many artists are well after the fact? Sometimes it takes a while for the people to catch up. But if we are seeing it for silvertone amps and guitars, electras are surely due.

Hope you all have an excellent new year!

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Thorny

Happy New year to you Thorny and yours

Yeah I'm totally happy with my trade and my friend Luke hads two more Electras. I'll be interested in finding out what they are and if they are for sale. He has been telling me about Electra/Westone for a long time, that he thought they were great guitars and it just went over my head---just didn't believe it.
If he hadn't brought the pearl one over to my house and left it with me when he picked up his amp I was working on, I wouldn't have ever tried it. Platefire

One thing that really sold me on the X189 is I'm old Ventures fan and cut my teeth sitting by mucho Venture albums and learning those licks, songs and cords. The Single coil taps really come close to that tone and with the smooth working whammy you can do Ventures stuff pretty realistically. Also I was adjusting the middle single coil PU Height to tune in the "Quack tone" and got that dialed in better than ever. Then you got your straight humbucker Les Paul tone that is great. I think I got the Humbucker height set just right for that with the neck way down close to the mounting rings and the bridge within about 3/16" of the strings, it's pretty much balanced. Getting their!!! Platefire

Ahhh, I love tales like this; boys finds guitar, boy sort-of likes guitar, boy plays guitar, boy falls in love with guitar!!

Spectrums/Phoenixes rule - I have 6, Westone Spectrums ST, MX, LX ,GT, GT Bass and Electra Phoenix X195 - as they are unpretentious, very low key, very comfotable on the strap and very, very versatile but will rip your lungs out given half a chance! TPs layout and pickups are just phenomenal....

That one you have is a spectacular burst - I like it lots!! - and is in lovely nick all round, so good find there! Mine is metallic black... I'm not a huge fan of black guitars, so it mainly sits in it's case while other, much more gaudy instruments get all sweaty!!

The tuner conundrum. If they're pants, change 'em. Simple, really; I did this to my Raider as the tuners were rather spectacularly munted so I invested in set of locking tuners and just "Wow!" I've now whacked lockers on all of the guitars that I use regularly - keeping the OEM machines safe! - and will never again use a guitar seriously that doesn't have them.

One mans opinion, and no-one listens to me much 'cause I'm a long way away but I reckon good quality locking tuners are the ducks nuts!!

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"... and on the eighth day, God created New Zealanders.

Because even the Australians need heroes."

I went to the GFS site to locate the locking black keys you were talking about. It's pretty important to me to get some keys that with work with existing screw holes. Here is a link to the ones I located at GFS. Please have a look and let me know if these are the same as you installed that fit correctly. Thanks, Platefire

http://www.guitarfetish.com/Now-STAGGER ... p_519.html

Those are the keys I use


They have discount codes going on right now too

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Thorny

Thanks! I ordered them but apparently the discounts don't apply to tuning keys. In the NAMM discount information it had a discount code of "NAMM10" for hardware but didn't name "Tuning keys" but made a statement at the bottom that the discount included all Hardware items. If tuning keys are not hardware---what are they? I let them know about it in the comment block.

On my receipt under discounts it showed (Coupon:namm10-0) 0 for no discount. Oh well even at that with USPS priority shipping wasn't but $41.35($34.95+$6.40), so I will have a lot more solid tuning now on the Spectrum. Platefire

Yes, you will like them - I like mine and I am picky. I didn't look closely at the discounts - sorry they didn't take.

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Thorny

Well once I get these installed, the guitar will be --well I'm not going to say perfect but top notch. Everything else works great on it and action is awesome. Thanks again for referring me to these keys that will fit my existing holes plus be locking also. Platefire